Promotion in Action - December 2022

COMMENTS FROM OUR CEO

I would like to wish you a happy New Year and reaffirm that we will continue to work on your behalf in 2023 to reach consumers to build trust and demand for dairy. I encourage you to continue to utilize Midwest Dairy’s website to learn more about the promotion service center to help you spotlight the goodness of dairy as we ring in the new year.

The stories below provide an update on Midwest Dairy’s efforts as we wrapped up 2022. In closing, I’d like to thank those of you that participated in our recent Farmer Survey to help us learn more about your interest in our work and how we can better communicate with you. Nearly 60% of those that responded were interested in a mobile texting program. Continue reading below to learn more on that topic. We will use additional insights from the survey in our work in the coming year. We are listening to you and value your perspective.

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Midwest

Make

December 31, 2022 IN THIS ISSUE:

Dairy text messages Minecraft build challenge

it Merry with Price Chopper Sustainability Spotlight Midwest farmers getting involved Youth activities showcasing dairy

MOLLY PELZER

Coming in 2023: Midwest Dairy text messages

To better share checkoff results with dairy farmers across the Midwest 10-state region, Midwest Dairy will begin sending updates via text messaging in 2023. This is based on feedback received during our annual farmer surveys to increase transparency and communication about the checkoff resources, programs, and activations. These text messages are only available to dairy farmers in our region, and any phone make, model, and service provider will be able to receive these text messages.

Science Museum of Minnesota Minecraft build a dairy farm challenge with huge success

This fall, the Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM) teamed up with Midwest Dairy to craft an engaging online experience that connected learning with gaming by utilizing the video game Minecraft. The goal throughout this process was to get the participants thinking about food and how it gets its start on the farm.

The contestants were challenged to build the world’s best dairy farm, including essential farming equipment and ample space, food, and water for their dairy cows. Midwest Dairy provided several links to virtual farm tours available on Midwest Dairy’s YouTube channel and website, which were included in the instructions to give participants more background. The SMM goal was for 30 participants in this pilot challenge, and it was ecstatic to receive 109 submissions with builders of all ages, including youth ages 12-17. Eric Sonnek from Sonnek Farms shared his expertise and time to join the SMM staff to review and judge all of the entries. Check out the SMM recap video that shares the winner's excitement and learning and the website winner promotion.

Make it Merry with dairy at Price Chopper Enterprises

"Make if Merry with dairy" and "Enjoy a delicious moment with dairy this season!" are the ad slogans used by Price Chopper Enterprises this holiday season. As Midwest Dairy enters the fourth and final activation of 2022, we are celebrating the holiday season with three delicious dairy recipes. As with the other campaigns this year, Midwest Dairy kicked off a full-page ad in Price CHoppers Gatherings magazine. Following the magazine were social posts, an email blast, and a section in the printed circular ad with a QR code linking customers to the recipes.

Midwest Dairy also partnered with the Kansas City Mom Collective (KCMC) to showcase the three recipes in reels on Instagram, an email blast, and a sponsored banner on the KCMC webpage. All recipe reels directed KCMC followers to the Price Chopper webpage to view the recipe and add ingredients directly to your cart.

You can find all of Midwest Dairy's sponsored recipes here

Minecraft build challenge example. Screengrab from the December Price Chopper Enterprises email blast.

Sustainability spotlight

Relationship with USD professor yields student podcast project around dairy sustainability

Midwest Dairy continues to build a relationship with the University of South Dakota's (USD) Sustainability Program to build trust in dairy's role as an environmental solution. Several faculty members from the department attended our Dairy Sustainability VIP Tour this past summer, including a tour of a farm with a new methane digester, as well as a panel of experts speaking on soil health, water quality, and feed additives to reduce methane emissions. Jenny Fierro, a professor who attended the event and taught a Sustainable Environment course to undergraduates at USD, added dairy sustainability to her topic list that students could select for their podcast project at the end of the semester. One group chose the topic and worked with Midwest Dairy to find relevant resources and connect to and interview a local dairy farmer. Cole Hoyer participated in the interview, answering questions about their operation and what sustainability looks like on their farm. The goal is to share the podcast online with other students and faculty at USD.

Wichita State University students gain real-world sustainability analysis experience

In the fall of 2022, Midwest Dairy partnered with Wichita State University’s College of Innovation and Design on a project for the Applied Sustainability in Innovation course. The course project aims to provide a real-world challenge for students to research and provide possible solutions for stakeholders. The challenge presented: “How might we reduce or reuse single-use plastic waste from dairy farm operations in order to reduce environmental pollution from the waste?”

The semester-long project began with an introduction to the challenge and a conversation with dairy farmer Dave Lane of Goddard, Kansas, through Zoom. Then, as part of their research, students toured Lane’s farm to learn more about dairy farming and dairy sustainability efforts. The tour was a valuable learning opportunity to help students understand how plastic is used on the farm and much more.

Students presented their proposals and recommendations in early December to stakeholders, which included dairy farmers Dave Lane and Steve Strickler of Kansas and Midwest Dairy staff Ron Grusenmeyer and Robyn Stuewe. When asked by the instructor their favorite part of the course, the unanimous answer was the dairy farm tour!

Northern Illinois University's "Huskie Hack" gets Gen Z talking about dairy sustainability

In early November, Midwest Dairy sponsored a “hackathon” hosted by Northern Illinois University’s Office of Innovation. A hackathon is an “invention marathon” for individuals interested in technology where participants spend hours building and sharing different creations. The 24-hour intercollegiate Huskie Hack brought students together from colleges throughout the Midwest to form 13 teams charged with innovating, solving, creating, and presenting a variety of solutions to food systems sustainability challenges. The three challenge topics included food waste, diversity in agriculture, and regionalization of food systems.

As part of the sponsorship, Midwest Dairy interacted with the 75 students in several ways, including event activities, Undeniably Diary event program features, advertisements promoting dairy, and an on-campus news article. In addition, our partner Melani Duffrin, Ph.D., RD, presented dairy nutrition information and hosted dairy trivia for students, who also had fun taking photos

in front of an Undeniably Dairy backdrop with dairy food props. Students also watched a video featuring dairy farmer Angie Hildebrandt who highlighted dairy sustainability initiatives on her family farm. Following the video, Midwest Dairy Ambassador, Madelyn Hartrim-Lowe, shared her passion for dairy and discussed her experience interning at Lenkaitis Holsteins.

This was the first annual food system sustainability-focused hackathon, and Midwest Dairy is excited to continue the partnership with Northern Illinois University in 2023.

Midwest farmers getting involved

Dairy Ambassadors encourage students to de-stress with dairy during Iowa State University’s Winterfest

In early December, Midwest Dairy created an enticing dairy experience for college students during Iowa State University’s Winterfest event, with events organized on campus to help students de-stress before finals. Dairy Ambassadors shared three ways students can de-stress with dairy, including dairy recipes, gathering with friends around a charcuterie board, and immunity support with dairy protein.

In addition, attendees enjoyed a fun Undeniably Dairy display with a 360degree video of them taking selfies with Santa. Over 4,000 attendees participated in Winterfest activities. Enjoy a brief highlight video linked here: Undeniably Dairy Selfies With Santa Highlight Video

Midwest Dairy recently partnered with Ag United and Boadwine Farms to host close to 40 environmental thought leaders and guests on the dairy farm, including a methane digester tour. Following the experience, guests listened to a panel featuring experts on soil health, water quality, and feed additives. As a result of this event, Lynn Boadwine was asked to be a speaker at the City of Sioux Fall's Sustainability Conference in December. Holly Meier, the City’s Sustainability Coordinator, had attended the event and extended the invitation to Lynn. She introduced Lynn and shared briefly about her experience on his farm. Lynn spoke passionately about dairy as an environmental solution and shared about the new methane digesters and other on-farm sustainability efforts, including water recycling and manure as a natural fertilizer. The conference was attended by industry stakeholders and the public, with an estimated attendance of 150 people.

Local dairy farmer asked to speak at the City of Sioux Falls Sustainability Conference Dairy Farmer Lynn Boadwine presents at the City of Sioux Fall's Sustainability Conference

Creative youth activities showcasing dairy

Highlighting dairy education across Nebraska

The Nebraska Department of Education is piloting a virtual learning and physical activity program to serve as the dairy expert and best represent Nebraska dairy farmers and Midwest Dairy was asked to partner on the project.

Walk to Unlock Nebraska invites students and teachers to combine exercise and learning through a fun, competitive virtual platform that rewards physical activity with fascinating historical, geographical, and agricultural information about the state. The program provides checkpoints along routes across the state for youth to visit virtually while tracking physical activity time, steps, and miles.

This learning experience targets kindergarten through eighth-grade students in traditional and non-traditional classroom settings, after-school programs, and clubs. Lesson topics include science, social studies, math, language arts, nutrition, and more. Dairy is included in those lesson topics, featuring Fuel Up to Play 60 STEM lesson plans, Discover Dairy activities, virtual dairy farm tours, recipes, and more.

Walk to Unlock has already reached 1,000 students since launching in the fall of 2022. Feedback from one teacher noted, "the Virtual Dairy Farm Tour video was an excellent addition. The overview earlier in the tour was a nice introduction; now this was far more focused on the diet side, which the kids really enjoyed."

Cooking class inspires youth in Pine Bluff

In the fall of 2022, Midwest Dairy partnered with Arkansas Children's Hospital, the Arts and Science Center for Southeast Arkansas, and Kids Cook to offer a six-week cooking class called CrEATe Lab to youth in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Twelve middle and high school students attended the six-week program that highlighted how dairy fits into a nutritious diet and learned how to prepare healthy meals and snacks. When asked, several students identified that their favorite class was learning how to make cheese. Families were invited to the last class to enjoy a meal prepared by the students and learn about dairy farming. The students also assembled 197 snack packs donated to Potluck Food Rescue.

Gen Z influencers reach peers on four college campuses and beyond

According to Midwest Dairy Aimpoint research, adult Gen Z (18-24 years old) rate their belief that dairy is healthy, nutritious, and environmentally friendly as lower than average. Given this statistic, the goal of a recent pilot project was to engage Gen Z audiences in a non-traditional yet convenient way, allowing for dairy messages to be shared. As a result, Midwest Dairy partnered with four athlete influencers from Kansas State University, the University of Missouri, the University of Tulsa, and the University of Arkansas to share an eye-catching Undeniably Dairy box that allowed their peers to win a dairy box too.

The moo’d box inspired Gen Z to chill with calm items like a milk frothier and oil diffuser and to get cheesy while making memories using the cheese board and instant camera. The box included a $50 gift card to purchase dairy foods, inspiration on making an ideal cheese board, creating cozy recipes, and examples of how dairy farmers are taking steps to reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions. 20 winners were selected from the target schools to win, with 91 percent of entries to win the box coming from Gen Z peers.

The project’s goal was to deliver at least one million impressions, and the pilot

surpassed that goal with more than 1,118,805 impressions on TikTok, and athlete influencers used Instagram to reach more than 28,000 people collectively. Get inspired by the Instagram Reels and photos shared by athleteinfluencers from the pilot project by visiting Ayoka Lee, Kansas State women’s basketball, Noah Carter, University of Missouri men’s basketball, Katia Gallegos, University of Tulsa women’s basketball, and Cally Kildow, University of Arkansas women’s softball